Status Effect
by Tony WildRiver
Summary: Zidane has returned to Dagger and things are going well. But things take a turn for the odd when Dagger and Eiko decide to try out a new spell on their mutual friend, the only problem being they don't actually know what it does...
1. Mystery Spell

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy IX, only this plot.

It had been only a few months since Zidane had come back to Dagger and things had calmed down to a gentle, bustling rhythm. Dagger, or rather Queen Garnet, was quickly becoming a leader to be reckoned with, making all of her friends proud of her. However, though certainly strenuous, her duties did not occupy 100 of her time, which allowed her to spend time with the people she cared about. Naturally, this made Zidane very happy, as she spent a good deal of her free time with him when he wasn't out on the landscape on missions, consisting mainly of hunting monsters, for the city.

When Dagger was not with her favorite be-tailed boy, she could usually be spotted training with Steiner, helping Beatrix and Freya pick out wedding dresses and decorations, learning to cook with Quina, or simply playing around with Vivi and Eiko. Today was one such day. Zidane was off taking care of a Mistodon sighting when Dagger had finished with her duties for the time being, so she set off to find the young mages. She located the two of them in Alexandria Castle's vast library, looking over several old tomes and whispering excitedly. Silently, Dagger stole up behind the unsuspecting kids.

"Gotcha!" she yelled, grabbing both of them from behind and laughing. The two mages yelped in surprise then spun around to face their 'attacker.' Seeing the young queen, they laughed as well then immediately scooted over to make room for her at the table. They then began to show her their discoveries.

There was a story on an old scroll about a king who had once saved Alexandria from a horde of giant insects. Then there was a portrait of a man who could have been an ancestor of Amarant, followed by several other tidbits of offhand interest. The thing they were the most excited about, though, was what appeared to be a spell written in Old Standard. Dagger bent her head over the words with interest.

"We haven't been able to decipher what exactly it's suppose to _do_ yet," explained Vivi, "but we're pretty sure that it is a status effect of some kind."

"Yes, I can see what you mean," Dagger responded as she studied the ancient script. "But it is impossible to tell if it is a status enhancement or ailment."

"What's more," Eiko piped up, "it looks fairly powerful. It will probably take both of us to cast."

"Hmm…" Dagger mused. "So, considering what we do, and more importantly, _don't _know, using it in a battle would not be a good idea."

"So let's just ask someone and test it out on them," Eiko suggested. This earned her bemused looks from her companions. "What?"

"Who are we going to get to agree to that?" asked Vivi. Eiko thought about this for a moment.

"Well, how about Steiner?" she said. "He's…um…sturdy… and would be happy to do anything for you…" she trailed off as Dagger shook her head. When she had been training with the captain a few days ago, something had gone slightly wrong with one of her spells. Now Steiner had a Shell over him that not only repelled any and all magic, including Dispel, but also lasted for a good deal of time after it was supposed to have faded. Last she had heard it still hadn't worn off.

When she told the two young mages this, all three of them got to work on the problem. Who could they convince to be their guinea pig? Granted, this was a very questionable request, possibly even dangerous as well, since they didn't know what the spell actually did. Someone would have to be more than a little crazy to agree to this. Well, crazy or…

Three heads snapped up at once as the mages all came to the same conclusion. They looked at one another, grinned, and nodded.

"Um…Are you guys sure about this?" Zidane asked nervously. He was standing in the middle of the huge courtyard of Alexandria Castle, quite uncomfortable, his tail fidgeting in apprehension.

"Don't worry! You'll be fine!" Eiko responded cheerfully. She and Dagger were standing, at some distance in front of their nervous friend, preparing themselves for the casting.

"We are both right here, ready to perform Esuna, if need be," Dagger put in with the exact smile she had used to rope her boyfriend into this. Zidane winced.

"Are you _sure_ about this?" her asked again, tail nervously twitching from side to side.

"Trust the queen! She knows what she is doing!" Steiner stated resolutely. Zidane glanced over to where the rest of their friends were standing. They had all been found and told about the mystery status spell whilst Dagger, Vivi, and Eiko had been looking for him and had all decided to come and watch. Some were curious about the new spell, whereas others simply did not want to miss out on the fun – and possibly the chance to laugh at Zidane. Said monkey boy ruefully noted that, while everyone was trying to be so reassuring, they were making a point to watch from a fairly sizeable distance and behind the white mages.

He swallowed uncomfortably and help asking one more time, "Are you guys _really sure_ about this?!"

"It will be alright, Zidane," Freya said with a slight grin. "We even have a Remedy right here, just in case."

"You be fine, Zidane!" Quina added. "It is as Qu say: 'Recipe gone bad can always be put back together.'" Zidane blanched at this and his voice seemed to leave him. His mouth opened and closed several times but no sound came out.

At that moment, Dagger and Eiko assumed spell-casting stances. Dagger looked at Zidane. "Ready?" she asked. Zidane, still very apprehensive, nevertheless assumed a very serious expression and made a very low and stately bow.

"Very well. I place my life into the capable hands of my most beautiful queen and a lovely princess." Freya, Beatrix, and Vivi all snickered at the dramatic declaration. Steiner and Amarant just shook their heads.

The white mages began reciting the incantation in unison, moving staff and flute in time to their chants. Eiko then put her instrument to her lips as Dagger made one final gesture towards their target. Zidane felt his body grow hot as the magic surged around him. And then…

_**BOOM**_!!!

Zidane disappeared amidst a shower of blue sparks and silver smoke as a terrific explosion knocked everyone to the ground. As they began to get shakily to their feet, Eiko turned to Dagger.

"D-did that feel right to you?" she asked tentatively. Dagger peered into the clearing smoke.

"Zidane?" she called. No response. "Zidane?!" she called again, fear beginning to rise in her throat. The smoke finally lifted and everyone stood dumbfounded for a moment. Where Zidane had stood only a moment before, all that could be seen now was a pile of what appeared to be his clothes.

There was a very heavy pause.

"…OH MY LAND!" Dagger cried in panic, "I'VE KILLED MY BOYFRIEND!!" She then rushed forward frantically, followed by everyone else.

About ten feet away, a small sound was heard that made them all stop short. They looked around in confusion.

"…What was that…?" Vivi asked in apprehension. The tiny cry was heard again, turning everyone's attention back to the bundle on the ground, their eyes widening in growing shock. As they watched, a little tail, about a foot and a half long, snaked floppily out of the pile. At the other end of the bundle, a tiny pair of hands appeared and began pawing at the cumbersome cloth. After a moment, the material was finally pulled away to reveal a tiny infant with a full head of golden hair and big blue eyes. He was lying on his back, still mostly tangled in the clothes.

No one moved; all they could do was stare in shocked disbelieving. The baby, becoming quite distressed at being left on the cold, hard stones, began to cry piteously.

Amarant was the first to voice what everyone was feeling. He summed it up quite well.

"…No…Way…"


	2. What Now?

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy IX, only this plot.

For a moment, everyone just continued to stare, utterly befuddled, at the tiny child. Meanwhile, the baby, now quite cold and uncomfortable, was becoming more and more distressed. His cries grew louder and little tears began forming at the corners of his eyes. Beatrix was the first to finally snap out of her trance.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, and hurried forward. "First thing, get him off the ground!" she said, concerned. The general quickly bent down and scooped the infant up, wrapping and bundling him in the clothing to keep him warm. She then held him close and rocked back and forth on her feet, all the while making soft cooing noises and stroking his head.

It worked. After only a minute, the baby calmed down and his cries ceased. Once he sensed he was safe, his tail snaked up and wound itself securely around his caregiver's forearm. Now, warmly nestled in Beatrix's arms, his tiny hands clinging tightly to her, the little boy began to take in his surroundings, his big eyes wandering curiously over the area.

Everyone blinked.

"Beatrix," said Freya, "I never knew you were good with children."

The general nodded. "I have younger siblings, and I also would sometimes get to help with Garnet a little when she was young."

Dagger was, at this moment, examining the infant in Beatrix's arms. "Well," she said, "He isn't looking at me indignantly, so the transformation was probably total, right down to his mind. The main question is," she crossed her arms, "is this the effect of the _spell _or the effect of the spell _gone wrong_?"

Steiner stepped up, "In any case, we had best hurry and change him back," he said matter-of-factly.

"Awww!" Vivi and Eiko both protested unhappily. "But we want to hold him!" Eiko said indignantly with Vivi fervently nodding beside her. The captain's jaw dropped.

"But that is absurd, Master Vivi…" he began to explain but he was cut off by a laugh from Beatrix.

She then motioned for Eiko to sit down on the ground. The young girl happily obeyed and spread her arms to accept the bundle. Beatrix then knelt down and passed the infant over, showing Eiko the proper way to hold him and how to support his head. As the little boy felt himself being passed from one set of arms to another, his tail unwound itself from around Beatrix's arm and proceeded to spiral itself around Eiko's. Vivi then plunked down excitedly next to his friend and the two of them began to play with the little baby.

Steiner turned to Beatrix and Dagger, who were watching with grins on their faces. "Um, that _is_ still Zidane…Doesn't such behavior seem a little…_odd_?" he asked uncertainly.

"Oh, it's alright," Dagger giggled. "They've never seen a baby before. Anyway, I'll prepare the Esuna."

"Look!" Vivi said happily. "He grabbed my finger!" Dagger laughed, and began waving her staff. After a moment…

"Esuna!"

_PING!_

Dagger blinked. The spell had hit, but nothing had happened except the strange sound. She tried again.

"Esuna!"

_PING! _

Still nothing. Everyone look at the child, confused.

"…Maybe it needs both of us," Eiko suggested. With Beatrix's help, the baby was passed over to Vivi, his tail uncoiling and recoiling his new caregiver's arm. Once again…

"ESUNA!" they both shouted.

_P-PING! _

Jaws dropped as nothing happened, except that the baby began to look around for the source of the odd noise.

"Um…ok…" Freya said apprehensively. "Let's try the Remedy then." She held up the vial. There was a bit of a pause.

"How do we get him to take it?" Vivi asked. But Eiko already had an idea. She played a few notes on her flute, which called Moguo to her side very quickly. After a quick conversation, the moogle sped off again and just as quickly reappeared with a baby bottle. He handed this to Eiko, who heartily thanked him.

"No problem!" he said, running off again. "Call me anytime!"

Freya proceeded to pour the Remedy into the bottle, and then she knelt down next to Vivi and tried to get the infant to take it. It was obvious he found the taste quite unappealing, but after a minute, he accepted the bottle and downed the medicine. There was a small flash and several tendrils of colored light, which showed that the Remedy was working. However, when it was done and the light faded, there Vivi sat, still holding the tiny baby, tiny tail still wrapped around his arm.

"Great," Amarant grumbled.

"Now what we do?" Quina asked. After a moment, it was Beatrix who answered.

"We try to find another way to change him back," she said. "We'll look in the library, the archives, perhaps even try to find someone who is a scholar of ancient spells or Old Standard. Until we find a cure though," she sighed, "we are going to have to take care of him." This last statement earned her a few incredulous looks, namely from Amarant and Steiner. "What?" she asked, hands on her hips. "Come now, a child that size is helpless and needs a lot of care and attention. Besides, Adelbert," she smiled at her fiancée, "this will be excellent practice for when we are parents ourselves."

The captain blushed at this, then, seeing her point, straightened and nodded. Amarant, however, was not so easily swayed.

"Well, _I_ need no such practice," he responded stubbornly, but then added, "Although I will stick around, just in case, you know, since you are now short one fighter." Everyone hid their smiles at the big man's excuse.

"Thank you, Amarant," Dagger nodded. Turning to everyone else, she said, "Well then, I guess the first thing we are going to need is the proper supplies. I think we still have a crib and blankets, maybe even some toys, somewhere in the palace."

"Leave that to me, Your Highness," Steiner put in. "I believe I remember where such items are stored."

"I'll help you then," Freya added.

"Alright, next we need to go to the market and get things like clothes, diapers…"

"Me'n Vivi can take care of that!" Eiko piped up. Dagger bent down and took the wide-eyed infant from the black mage so that he could stand up. As before, the little boy's tail uncurled from around Vivi's arm and wrapped itself around Dagger's.

"I'll go see what help the monster hunters may need." Amarant stated.

"I know what milk be good for little Zidane!" put in Quina. "I take care of that, no problem!"

"Then I'll go start searching the archives," Beatrix said, and with that, everyone dashed off to complete their appointed tasks.

"W-wait!" Dagger protested, too late. Sighing, she looked down at her new charge, who stared right back at her with those huge blue orbs.

"Well, I guess that just leaves you and me," she said to him, watching as his little hands found her pendant and tried to put it in his mouth.


	3. Babysitting Hazards

Chapter 3: Babysitting Hazards

"Let's see," Eiko mused as she explored the shop, looking for supplies that they might need. "We'll need another bottle besides the one that Moguo gave us. A pacifier or two would probably be a good idea. Diapers, obviously, and clothes..."

A semi-short while later, Eiko and Vivi headed back to the castle, laden down (mostly Vivi) with their various purchases. They had managed to find everything, including several infant-sized tunics and pairs of trousers, and were now hurrying along to rejoin their friends on babysitting detail.

Back at the castle, Steiner had managed to locate the much needed crib, blankets, and a small box of toys, including rattles and stuffed animals. There was even a sturdy rocking chair. Aided by Freya, he cleaned the items off and the two of them moved them down to the designated room to set them up. As soon as the rocking chair was in place, Dagger sat down and continued to hold the miniature version of her boyfriend, who was actually quite happy to simply play with her hair or pendant.

The set up was just being finished as the mages arrived back with their purchases and Quina showed up with a blizzarded water skin full of some kind of milk. However, when asked where it was from, the Qu launched into an excited and detailed explanation that left everyone scratching their heads.

In any case, no matter where it came from, the Qu cook was right: it seemed to be exactly what little Zidane wanted. When Dagger took the bottle full of milk and began to feed him, he latched on right away and contentedly downed the whole thing.

After feeding him, Dagger gave the infant back to Eiko and Vivi, seated on several blankets on the floor. Then she and the other adults left to see to any official duties that needed wrapping up. The two mages had fun burping their new charge and then occupied themselves with playing with the tiny baby. They thought it particularly amusing when they got his tail to wrap around one of the rattles and shake it, bringing a giggle from the baby and laughs from his sitters.

Several hours past and the adults returned; for one, to check on the three of them and relieve Eiko and Vivi, and two, to hear Beatrix's report on her findings from the library, if any.

The two mages stood up and walked over to Freya, who had brought some food for them, before turning to the general. Dagger absent-mindedly picked up the baby, who had started to get fussy, and also turned to listen.

The news, unfortunately, was not good. So far, Beatrix had not even found another mention of the spell in her search. What's more, no one in the castle could even claim to be able to read and understand Old Standard to a good enough extent to be any use. It was such a complex and bizarre form of language that even Dr. Tot had never mastered it. And after all, the only thing that the party's mages had been able to figure out was that it was a powerful status affecter, and that had been by the structure and order of the symbols. This situation was turning into quite the predicament.

After a short while, Little Zidane decided to interrupt the meeting by becoming fussy once again. No matter how Dagger held him or what she did, he would not quiet down. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. That is, until she began to smell it.

She looked down and her eyes widened. "Uh-oh..."

"What be that smell?!" Quina asked, her heightened Qu senses of smell and taste quite horrified.

"Ah..." Freya nodded, covering her face. "It would seem that he needs to be changed." A heated argument followed _that _statement.

"Well_ I_ am most certainly not dong it!" Dagger declared adamantly, "And it has nothing to do with being queen! I would never be able to look him in the eye again!" In her mind she added, "At least not until we were married."

"Me either," Eiko said, "Besides, me'n Vivi don't know how." Vivi nodded rapidly and both of the young mages sighed with relief when Dagger and Freya agreed with them.

"Well, Quina obviously can't do it..." said Beatrix, looking at the seeming-to-be-soon-asphyxiated Qu, who had backed away to the farthest corner of the room."And Freya, with her dragon senses, is likely to be not much better off."

"Further," Freya put in, "I imagine that Zidane would not want any of the women to do it."

"Ah, good point," Beatrix agreed, "So that leaves Adelbert and Amarant."

"Not on your life or mine," Amarant replied in a tone that left no room for any argument. Everyone turned their eyes to Steiner, whose own eyes were starting to widen. Dagger walked over to the apprehensive captain and deliberately held the infant out to him.

"You do know how to change a diaper, right, Captain Steiner?" she asked, holding back a smile with a will.

"W-well, I-I," he began, "I - yes, I do, but it's been so long th-that..."

"Here, Adelbert," Beatrix stepped in, I'll talk you through it." With that, she picked up the bag of needed supplies, took the baby from Dagger, and then waited expectantly for Steiner to lead the way to the adjoining room. Somewhat reassured, the captain hesitantly nodded and left the room with Beatrix close on his heels, carrying the now rather fussy infant.

The next few minutes were both very pitiful and very amusing for those waiting for the changing to be finished; amusement at the grunts and groans coming from the next room, and pity for the poor man making them. From what they could gather, everyone there counted their lucky stars that the offending task had not fallen to them.

When Steiner reentered the room, his face was set in a stone mask that nearly made Eiko bust out laughing. Beatrix followed immediately, carrying a much happier baby, and a servant was called to take the soiled diaper away.

The servant, Adam by name, was a little confused as to why there was a baby there in the first place until he was briefed of the situation. Then, upon seeing the Captain's face and realizing what the traumatized man had just gone through, he offered a suggestion.

"I have little brothers and sisters and know how to change an infant, and there is a small room directly below here. If it would help, I could stay there and you could call me whenever he needed to be changed."

Everyone agreed that this was a good plan. Steiner in particular looked like he would burst into tears of relief at any moment.

After a bell was set up to call Adam when needed, it was getting on to dusk, and after another bottle, Little Zidane was beginning to look distinctly tired. His eyes began to droop and he started to yawn every few minutes.

"I guess this one is ready for bed," Dagger said with a grin. After they had gotten the little boy into his pajamas, she gently laid him down in his crib as Freya put out the lights. However, just as everyone was walking out of the room, the baby began to cry, his volume escalating each second.

Startled, Dagger ran back to the crib and tried to find out what was wrong. She knew he had jut eaten and a quick check revealed that he did not need to be changed again, so she looked for other problems. He had enough blankets, there was sufficient padding on the bottom of the crib, and his tail was not caught on anything...

"Well, goodness!" Beatrix said, "Then what is wrong with him?"

"I don't know," Dagger admitted. Becoming a little distressed herself at the tiny baby's pitiful cries, she reached into the crib and scooped him up. Dagger then began to comfort the little boy in the same manner as she had seen Beatrix do. After only half a minute, the crying ceased and Dagger had a miniature tail once again wrapped securely around her arm. Surprised, she watched as the infant in her arms snuggled to her and began to fall asleep.

"Hm..." Steiner mused, putting in a suggestion, "Perhaps if we rocked him completely to sleep first, and _then_ put him in his crib." Dagger nodded and since she was already holding him, she headed for the rocking chair. Several minutes later, Little Zidane was sleeping soundly, his tiny fingers curled into loose fists.

Dagger waited a few more minutes, then very carefully stood and went to the crib. She then laid the little boy down ever so gently, while Freya carefully unwound his tail from her arm.

It was a good idea, and should have worked. However, as soon as the group had tip-toed halfway across the room, the infant began to cry again, louder this time.

"Argh," Steiner let out an exasperated sigh as the women and Vivi stole back to the crib. After several more attempts to soothe him, including laying him on his tummy and then his side, the whole group was at a loss. Even Amarant, who had not moved from the doorway, began to wonder just what was wrong with their charge.

Dagger was holding the once-more-contented child when there came a knock at the door. It was one of the castle messengers. He glanced at the baby in the queen's arms in confusion for a brief moment then addressed her.

"Your Majesty, your guest has arrived. Shall I send her up to you?" he inquired.

"Guest?" Eiko asked.

"Oh yeah!" Dagger exclaimed softly. "Makoto was coming tomorrow."

"Yay!" Vivi grinned. "She must have decided to come a night early."

"Yes, send her up," Dagger nodded to the messenger. "Thank you."

"She just may be able to tell us what to do with Zidane," Freya said after he had gone. General agreement was sounded throughout the room.

A short time later, the blonde and be-tailed young woman entered the room and fond hugs were exchanged. However, when Makoto saw the infant, she stopped, her eyes widening a bit. Then she grinned lightly.

"Why, I was not even aware that you were pregnant."

Several jaws dropped, followed by a stifled giggling at this statement.

"Uh-um-oh-uh," Dagger stuttered, blushing to the roots of her hair. "N-no, no, this isn't my baby..." Makoto raised an eyebrow. "NO! I, uh, no, you see, this IS Zidane!" she finally managed to say. Needless to say, Makoto's expression instantly changed to one of complete surprise.

"... ...well. Shoot, what happened?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. Finding their voices again, the group explained about the spell and ended with a description of their immediate problem.

"He just won't sleep!" Eiko said exasperatedly.

"No matter what we try, little Zidane no snooze," Quina added.

"Well actually," Freya interjected, "he seems to do alright as long as someone is holding him. The moment we put him down, however, he cries quite loudly.

"He has a horizontal alarm," Vivi put in.

Makoto looked thoughtful and nodded. "That makes sense," she explained. "You all saw how the Genomes were in Bran Bal. Everything had order and none knew the concept of emotion, which is what a child's cries are meant to invoke in its caretakers. When Zidane was 'born,' not full grown but an infant and with a soul at that, they would not have known how to care for him properly. They would have seen to his physical needs sufficiently, but it would not have occurred to anyone to fulfill his emotional needs. This being the case, it would not surprise me that he has some fear of abandonment at that age."

When Makoto had finished, everyone was silent for a moment. Then Dagger, still holding Zidane, nodded.

"Oh...Alright then." She turned to Beatrix, "would you see to Makoto's sleeping quarters?" When the general nodded, Dagger turned to Vivi, "Would you please hand me that larger blanket?" she asked, gesturing. The black mage did so and Dagger faced the rest of the group.

"Good night then, everyone," she said, and headed for the rocking chair to settle in for the night.

(A/N): Sorry for the wait, I am currently in a very remote area with one computer to share among 70 people. So updates may be scattered a bit until September when I go home, but know that I will never give up on this fic. I am having too much fun


	4. Road Trip Plans

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy IX, only this plot.

The next morning, Vivi and Eiko tip-toed into the make-shift nursery to see how Dagger had gotten along with Little Zidane. They found the queen asleep with her head resting back against the splat of the rocking chair, the tiny boy snuggled contentedly in her lap, tail securely fastened around her upper arm. As the two young mages moved through the room, they saw Dagger stir and open one eye. Seeing them, she smiled then tried to stifle a yawn. Since she did not have any free hands, it did not work very well.

"G'morning, Dagger," Vivi whispered, not wanting to wake the baby.

"Morning," she responded, sleepily but pleasantly.

"How did it go?" Eiko asked, coming up next to the rocking chair and touching Zidane's warm little hand.

"He only woke up once last night," Dagger said with relief, "and after Adam changed him, I fed him and then he went right back to sleep, thank goodness."

"So what's the plan for today?" Vivi asked, taking up position on the other side of the chair. "Because so far, it doesn't seem like the archives are going to turn up much of anything."

Dagger nodded. "I know. The question is: What can we do? Even the scholars can't hope to completely decipher that spell, though Beatrix has asked them to try. It would be wonderful if they did come up with something but I am not going to put all of my hopes on that."

By this time, Zidane had begun to stir and was starting to let them know he was awake. Vivi pulled on the bell cord to summon Adam while Eiko got a bottle ready. Once Adam was finished and the little boy was well on his way to finishing his breakfast, the other members of the party began to arrive, all having the same discussion the mages had just had.

"Good Day, Your Highness," Steiner saluted. The effect was spoiled somewhat by Quina almost bowling him over in her rush to join the group around the rocking chair. Once everyone was situated, the discussion began anew, though with practically the same results.

"Good morning, everyone," came Mikoto's greeting as she walked into the room. The party smiled (for the most part) and returned the sentiments then listened as she continued.

"From what I have heard and seen, I doubt we are going to find much to help us here. Therefore, I was wondering whether any of you might know someone who could possibly assist us."

"Well, I for one do not know of anyone who had studied Old Standard to that degree but Dr. Tot may..." Beatrix mused.

"I did not necessarily mean someone fluent in the ancient language. Rather, can you think of someone who is highly skilled in magicks, perhaps even unusual spells in particular? Even if we are not sure how the spell worked, one who is deftly practiced in such arts may be able to return Zidane to his original state," the female Genome explained.

As she finished, a grin spread across Dagger's face. The queen glanced at Eiko and knew that she had had the same thought.

"Aunt Hilda," Dagger said.

"Yeah, Mom would be able to help!" Eiko agreed, as the others began to realize the possibility.

"So that means we need to get to Lindblum," Freya observed, and with that, another planning session began. As luck would have it, there were no operational airships in the royal hanger currently so Vivi presented an alternative.

"Blank and Ruby," he explained. "Baku loaned them the Prima Vista and they just got back earlier this week and haven't returned it yet. We could ask them for a ride."

"Though we might have to bring Blank back to life first," Eiko pointed out, " 'cause he's gonna die laughing once he sees what we've done to Zidane."

"I go get refill of milk for Zidane. We almost out," Quina said, her hand raised.

"Alright, then meet us at Ruby's theatre," Dagger responded. The Qu chef nodded and headed out. Everyone proceeded to gather up the needed supplies and began to set off into town. It was decided that Beatrix would stay at Alexandria castle to look after business while the queen was away. Dagger thanked her fervently then waited as the general gave Baby Zidane a little kiss on the top of his head. He smiled, his hands reaching up to grasp her hair.

"You are certainly adorable like this," she said with a grin, "But you had better come back the right height." Dagger laughed, thanked her again, then hurried after the others.

Making their way through town was easier then they thought it would be. No one had realized just how early it was, and only a few people besides the shopkeepers were out and about at the time. Halfway to the theatre, Mikoto split ways with the party.

"I had a thought," she said before taking off, "I shall meet you in Lindblum." The others were confused of course, but they trusted her so they continued on their way.

Arriving at Ruby's theatre, they bypassed the rope that was hung across the stairway leading to the entrance and knocked loudly on the door.

"Who is it?!" Ruby's voice sounded from somewhere deep inside.

"It is Her Majesty! Queen Ga..." Steiner began indignantly but Dagger cut him off.

"It's me, Dagger, and the rest of the group!" she called.

"Oh! Come on it, darlin'," came the reply. "Key's under the lantern!"

They filed into the cozy establishment and waited for Blank and Ruby to join them. It sounded as though their arrival may have woken the newlyweds up. The wait was not long though.

"Well, howdy!" Ruby greeted them in her usual manner, Blank following close behind. However, they both stopped short before reaching the party, having spotted the baby Dagger was holding, his tail wrapped around her arm. Before anyone had a chance to explain, though, Ruby put her hands on her hips, smiling, if a little indignantly.

"When did ya'll 'n Zidane tie the knot?!" she asked. "An' how come nobody came 'round to tell us 'bout it?"

A few hands clapped over eyes in consternation. Dagger groaned, "No! This is not my baby! It's..."

"WHAT?!" both Blank and Ruby looked shocked. That baby most definitely looked like a miniature Zidane...but then...

"But I thought Zidane would always stay with you..." Ruby said, confused and sympathetic.

"You want me to kick his butt into next week for you?" Blank asked, " 'cause I will. After the way he went on about how he felt about you, then he goes and ..."

"Argh!" Dagger interrupted exasperatedly. "NO! It's not like that! This isn't Zidane's baby either! This IS Zidane!" Her outburst startled the little boy in her arms and she spent the next several minutes calming him back down.

During this time, Blank and Ruby were silent, looking very shocked and confused as they watched Dagger soothe the infant. When her statement did finally manage to sink in, Eiko's earlier prediction turned out to be close to the mark. Blank started laughing uproariously. He laughed harder and harder to the point where he was doubled over and gasping for breath. But even Ruby couldn't help but giggle.

Once Blank managed to catch a breath and get his laughter under control, he wanted answers.

"Okay, spill it. What did you guys do to Zidane?" he asked, still grinning like an idiot.

"Oh sure, he automatically assumes it was something we did," Eiko muttered.

"Well, he's right," Vivi pointed out. The group proceeded to recount everything that had happened since the previous afternoon, and by the time they finished, Blank was doing his absolute best to hold back the hysterics threatening to incapacitate him again.

"And so, you want to take the Prima Vista back to Lindblum to get our boy fixed right again," Ruby concluded for them. Dagger nodded as Blank broke into a fresh wave of laughter. Steiner gave him a reproving look but most of the party could understand why the young man would find Zidane's predicament so amusing, given his long friendship and even brotherhood with the cocky Genome.

Composing himself once again, Blank turned to his wife and asked if it would be alright if he took them to Lindblum.

"Well, o' course, love!" was her response, "I gotta stay and things ready 'round here, but you go on."

"Are you sure you'll be alright here by yourself while I'm gone?" he asked. He winced as soon as the words left his mouth, though. Ruby's hands were once again on her hips and she was looking at him with an interesting expression.

"Blank," she said pointedly, "Do you honestly think that I am incapable o' takin' care o' myself for a few days? Baku would have your hide if you let anyone else fly his ship, and besides that, you should help anyway, seein' as it's Zidane in trouble an' all. Now get your heinie in gear and get on the road."

"My apologies, dear," Blank said with a grin and a bow, "You are absolutely right. I shall obey." With that, he ran into the back to grab his pack.

"Now then," Ruby turned to the rest of the party, who were all grinning broadly to see Blank so whipped. "While ya'll have a minute, hand that little guy over, 'cause I'd like to hold him."

(A/N: ...I know, a very long wait for a not very exciting chapter. I'm sorry. I shall try to do better Also I am pretty sure that I got the name of the ship right, but if I didn't I apologize about that too.

Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and even those who haven't but still read It motivates me and makes me happy. Thanks to CrimsonCobwebs for pointing out Mikoto's proper name spelling )


	5. Lindblum

Disclaimer: The story is mine. The template and medium are not.

Chapter 5: Lindblum

Once Blank was ready and Ruby had been persuaded to give Little Zidane back to Dagger, they set off to where the Prima Vista was docked.

"Now y'all take care o' yerselves and that little darlin', ya hear?" Ruby called as they left.

"Oh no," Blank sighed, glancing at Zidane, who was happily cooing as his tail rewound itself around Dagger's arm. "Now she's gonna want one."

"Don't you want kids, Blank?" Vivi asked.

"Well, sure," he replied, "but you have never lived with Ruby. If she sets her heart on something, she won't let it rest—ever. And then, when we do succeed . . . from what I've heard about pregnant women," he shook his head ruefully as he started up the ship, "well, let's just say I have less chance of surviving those nine months than she does."

A few hours later found the group well on their way to Lindblum and faced with a problem. The baby needed a change, and they had forgotten to bring Adam. The same argument as before broke out, though this time, Steiner was fighting. Just when it appeared as though the job would never get done, there came an exasperated growl from the corner of the cabin. Amarant then stalked over to Dagger, took the kid, and went to the next room.

Everyone else was left stunned. No one moved for a few silent minutes. When he came back, he dumped the now contented boy backed into Dagger's lap and then left without a word.

". . . Uh . . .unexpected," Quina offered.

"Indeed . . ." Freya added, with the face of one plotting to get the full explanation later. "I suppose that problem is solved, then." She glanced out a porthole. "And it's just as well. I can see Lindblum on the horizon; we'll be there shortly."

"Oh, good!" Eiko jumped excitedly. "I can't wait to see Mom and Dad again!"

"Ah!" Little Zidane exclaimed, mimicking Eiko's sentiments, as much as could be expected from one so young.

The newly rebuilt metropolis was abustle with its usual activity as the Prima Vista passed through its gates, heading for the docking bay at the palace. Steiner made sure to stand at the bow and announce their presence to the guards in order to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.



"Well, I guess here is where we part," Blank said as the party came out of the cabin and onto the deck. "I hope for your sakes that you get him back to normal soon!" He waved as they stepped off the ship.

After Blank had left again, the party made their way to the audience hall, where they were told the regent and his wife were just wrapping up daily meetings. As they waited outside in the foyer, Little Zidane decided this was a wonderful opportunity to take a nap and was contentedly nestled in Dagger's arms, tail secured between her shoulder and elbow.

Once the meetings ended, delegates and personal servants filed out of the hall in their usual pompous fashion. Freya and Steiner discreetly maneuvered Dagger—with Little Zidane—behind them in order to forestall awkward questions. Once the coast cleared, the party headed into the audience hall, Dagger moving gently so as to not disturb her burden. Eiko broke composure first.

"Mom! Dad! I'm back!" she cried excitedly, running forward to pounce on her adoptive parents. They reacted in kind.

"Eiko, sweetie!" Hilda gasped happily, scooping the little white mage up into a welcoming hug. "We weren't expecting you back so soon."

Regent Cid, after giving Eiko a hug, turned to the rest of the group in greeting. However, before he could say anything to that effect, a small squeaky yawn was heard, turning all eyes to Dagger and the blond infant she held.

"Oh my!" Hilda said with a smile, whilst Cid nodded his head in agreement. "Congratulations, Garnet! He is adorable!" With an inaudible sigh, Steiner opened his mouth to explain yet again when Dagger spoke up.

"Why, thank you Lady Hilda," she said cheerfully, pulling some of the coverings back to give the regent and his wife a better look at the drowsy baby. "Isn't he just the most precious little thing?" she asked as they came forward.

"Yes indeed," Cid agreed as Hilda stroked the small boy's hand. "You and Zidane must be very proud."

"Oh we are," Dagger replied, her face beaming.

As conversation continued in this vein, Steiner was standing back, practically having a conniption in the corner. Had the queen lost her mind? Why was she suddenly acting as though the child were truly her own? Was there something going on here that he did not know about? Could it really be true? No! No, that was simply impossible. Zidane had not even been back that long…

The captain came back to reality as Cid was commenting that the babe looked just liked his father.



"He certainly does, doesn't he?" Dagger replied proudly.

"Where is Zidane, by the way?" Hilda asked.

In an energetic panic, Steiner ran forward, making wide gestures and pointing at the infant.

"No!" he cried dramatically. "No! You don't understand! This!" He jabbed his finger repeated at the little blond, "This boy right here IS Zidane!"he shouted, desperately trying to convince everyone of their current insanity. Vivi and Eiko could take it no more and let loose their giggles, falling together to the floor, rolling in laughter. Amarant had not moved, though Freya thought she saw the corners of his mouth turn up as she moved her hand to cover her own grin. Quina just looked confused all around.

By now, Steiner was on his knees, panting with the effort of his energetic persuasion. Dagger finally gave in and started to laugh also, even as she tried to comfort Little Zidane, who was not happy with all the loud noise suddenly surrounding him. Once she had calmed him down, Dagger then turned to Cid and Hilda, who were looking somewhat confused.

"Sorry," she said with a grin, "Steiner is correct." She and the others then began to tell the story of Zidane's transformation whilst the captain stood off to the side, befuddled.

"Hmm . . ." Hilda mused when it was finished. "That _is_ interesting." The baby had once again been passed down to Vivi and Eiko, who were having fun playing and laughing with him. Lady Hilda knelt down to take a closer look. Gathering a little magic into her fingertips, she gently began to poke and prod, running her fingers over and around the little Genome, who was quite entranced by the colorful, sparkling lights. After a few minutes, she stood back up, turning to the rest of the party.

"Given that I do not know what the spell was or what may or may not have gone wrong with its execution, I cannot guarantee an accurate hypothesis." At a nod from everyone, she continued. "From what it feels like, there is nothing wrong with him."

. . . Not quite the expected diagnosis.

"What?"

"How can that be?!" 

"But Zidane be TINY! How nothing wrong?"

"Please," Hilda calmly said over the hubbub, "allow me to explain. According to Zidane's body, his condition is perfectly normal. Normally, when a status spell is invoked, a spell trace is left on the receiver, which is what holds the effect of the spell in place. The only way to 'break' a spell is to remove the trace or wait for it to dissipate. This is why Esuna and remedies are not working; there is no spell trace present to remove."



"Then how is the effect holding?" Vivi asked.

"Rather than attaching an effect, it seems that what the spell has done is removed his growth, reverting him to a previous state," she explained. Everyone with expertise in magic nodded with interest while everyone else looked at one another, confused, but trusting them to know what they were doing.

"Alright then, give me until tomorrow morning to figure out the counter spell to re-attach his growth," Lady Hilda said with subtle confidence. "Until then, please get some rest."

"Are you sure?" asked Vivi. "You don't want any help?"

The look on Hilda's face at that almost made the little black mage want to run for cover.

"Oh, no need," she replied with a somewhat manic smile. "I'll be just fine."

"Ah, yes. Well then, we'll just leave it to you," Freya gave a swift bow and then she and Eiko quickly herded everyone else out of the room. Once they reached the guest wing, the short white mage gave a giggle then shrugged.

"Sorry, you'll have to get used to that," she explained. "Mom with her magicks is almost as bad as Dad with his machines."

"We'd noticed," came the cumulative reply.

That night when it was about time for sleep, it was suggested that someone else take Little Zidane this time so that Her Highness might get a proper night's rest. However, after considering this logical idea, Dagger found herself shaking her head.

"It really is not that bad as long as there is enough padding on the chair. And besides," she added, glancing at her charge, who was sleepily gnawing on her pendant, "he . . . well . . ."

Eiko grinned, "He likes you best!" Everyone was amused to see the blush that spread across the teenaged queen's face at the blunt outburst.

"It would indeed make sense," Freya agreed, "for him to be most comfortable with you, especially in such a vulnerable state." Dagger smiled softly and managed a nod.

That night, as she sat in the rocking chair, gently moving back and forth, she contemplated her response and reaction. Little Zidane certainly enjoyed being held or played with, and it did not matter who it was caring for him: he was happy. However, for times of rest, he did seem to have some preference for her arms over others. How did she feel about that?

It was certainly no secret that she and Zidane loved one another deeply. Even the Alexandrian nobility had accepted this fact by now. No, the thought that the blond preferred her above all others was not the reason for her blush earlier. What was it, then?

Perhaps it was the idea that he needed her. Not that he had not needed her before, of course. In most of their adventures up until now, it had always been a partnership. He would protect her and the others, taking on their enemies in hand-to-hand combat, while she supported him from behind, providing healing, warnings, and occasionally summoning an Eidolon. Even outside of battle, if she was having a bad day, her boy would do whatever it took to get her smiling again. When he was troubled, she would put forth any effort to help him find a solution.

Now . . . now he was relying on her for even his most basic needs, physical or emotional. For anyone to need her so completely was . . . amazing. For that person to be Zidane —the charismatic and cocky former Angel of Destruction, who possessed an unrivaled sense of courage of strength, and was a renowned hero throughout all Gaia and (what remained of) Terra —was simply indescribable.

Dagger came out of her reverie as the little boy in her arms shifted. When they had first settled down for the night, he had decided that upright would be best, fussing whenever she tried to lay him down. So Dagger had placed him on his tummy against her and reclined back into the rocking chair, one hand supporting him from underneath, the other on his back. He was now sleepily peacefully, his head resting on her chest, tail curled around her upper arm. Thinking how sweet and innocent he looked, Dagger gently combed her fingers through his golden hair and grinned as his little fingers instinctively curled into fists, grasping the fabric of her nightgown. Bending her neck slightly, she kissed him on the tip of his head, making him coo softly in sleep, then settled back to try and get some sleep herself.

"Hopefully tomorrow will see you back to normal," she whispered fondly, "but for now, we can stay like this."

(A/N): I LIVE!! Holy cow, I am so sorry for that wait. Fear not, the next one will not be nearly so long in coming since the muse has decided to come back. Thank you so very much to all of you who are enjoying this


	6. Out of the Pan

Disclaimer: The story is mine. The template and medium are not. oi.

Chapter 6: Out of the Pan…

"I've done it," was Lady Hilda's declaration the next morning, once everyone had assembled together in the audience hall. "Or rather I believe I have a solution to restoring Zidane to his normal age."

Relief shone in everyone's eyes and Dagger looked down at the boy in Freya's arms. The dragon knight had offered to take him for a time, and while she said that caring for their friend was the responsibility of all, it was obvious she was enjoying her time with the little boy.

"Hear that?" Dagger asked.

"We shall soon have you tall and sweet-talking once again, little one," Freya told him with a grin.

Big, blue eyes looked back at her and she could not help running her fingers up his tummy, causing him to giggle in delight. Over the past few days, the party had discovered that Little Zidane was quite ticklish and, in fact, very fond of the sensation. Some absently wondered if perhaps he had retained that trait as an adult, though the thought of a grown Zidane collapsed in such giggles was somewhat difficult to picture.

"We have to be careful when administering this counter-spell," Hilda was explaining. "If we simply grow him up, Zidane may lose all of his life's experiences and would not be able to remember anything. Including all of you." She paused, letting that soak in, and then proceeded with her explanation.

"In order to restore his true age and allow him to regain all of his memories, I believe I have been able to dictate an accurate counter-spell though study of the original spell and research available on Old Standard."

Dagger and Eiko came forward to learn what they needed to do in order to put Zidane right while Regent Cid took this opportunity to call breakfast for them all. The baby had already been taken care of in that respect. Vivi and Eiko had great fun feeding him and while he refused to even acknowledge any questions directed at him, Amarant seemed to have silently taken on the job of seeing to Zidane's hygiene, much to everyone's awe.

After an hour or so, the white mages believed themselves to be as ready as they would ever be.

"It is tricky," Eiko commented just a little nervously.

"Yes, but we can do it." Hilda assured her. It had been decided in this case that three mages would be better than two thus the Lady of Linblum would assist with the casting.

"Alright then, Little One," Freya said softly to Zidane as she laid him down where it had been indicated in the middle of the room. She and the others then took several large steps back as Dagger, Eiko, and Hilda each assumed a position forming a triangle around the tiny child. As one, they began the incantation, sound and movement flowing together to activate the delicate magic.

The air grew warm as Little Zidane started to glow. His eyes widened and he squirmed, startled by the strange sensations of the surging energy working on and around his body. There was another brilliant flash blue and silver light as the spell reached its conclusion, temporarily blinding everyone in the room.

Though somewhat disoriented, Freya thought she heard a sound like something tearing. A gasp and then feet running across the carpeted floor followed the noise. Blinking and rubbing her eyes, the dragon knight tried to get her sight back but worried about what she would find when she did. Once she regained her ability to focus, Freya looked anxiously to the center of the room to see the result of the spell. To her surprise, she saw nothing; Little Zidane had vanished altogether.

As the others came to realize this new problem, Freya rushed to where the boy had been laid to see what could be found.

Apparently the Genome had not completely disappeared as she had first thought. Bits and pieces of cloth were scattered in a small circle surrounding the spot where he last was. Interested, Freya held a scrap up for Dagger, who had come forward by now, to see.

"That's from the tunic he was wearing," the young queen with decreasing worry, as what had most likely happened dawned on her.

"Indeed," the dragon knight agreed. "And it would stand to reason that if the spell did not shrink his clothes to accommodate his infant form . . ."

"He would get too big for them this time!" Eiko jumped excitedly, finishing for her.

Freya nodded. No one could help the small grins that appeared on every face at that thought. If that were truly the case, then it was no wonder Zidane had taken the blanket and hidden from them. Some briefly wondered why he had not said anything to them yet before focusing on the task at hand. Glancing around the room, the party began making note of everything their friend could hide behind.

"Zidane?" Dagger said aloud. "We are very sorry about all this. I don't know how much you remember, but we can explain. Just tell us where you are and we'll see about getting you something to cover up with besides that blanket." When silence answered her words, Dagger began to feel the worry creep into her mind once again. A nagging doubt in the back of her thoughts began to wheedle its way to the forefront: What if they had gotten it wrong? Possible again? What if Zidane really could not remember any anything?

Forcing her worry aside, Dagger started looking behind statues and under tables, trying to find her missing friend.

Quina, with her superior sense of smell was the first to have any success in the search. Sniffing and shuffling about the audience hall, the Qu's nose led her to a small statue in one corner of the room. Leaning over to look behind it, she caught a glimpse of the end of a furry golden tail.

"Aha! I find you, Zidane!" Quina happily exclaimed, reaching into the space the grab the appendage. A moment later, the Qu was scrambling backwards in an attempt to escape the angry rush of Genome that lashed out at the sudden gesture before retreating once more into the shadowed hiding place.

Dagger cautiously approached, motioning for Quina to come away and everyone else to stay back. Feral growls and bared teeth greeted her as she poked her head around the statue and the young woman found herself looking at a Zidane that was bigger than before but still not as he should be. The baby blanket he had been previously swaddled in was wrapped loosely around his waist, held there by a clumsy knot, quickly and awkwardly tied. At a glance, it was obvious from the way the little Genome was looking at her that he did not recognize her and likely did not know where he was.

"Zidane," Dagger said softly, kneeling on the floor to look him in the eye. "It's alright, Zidane. You know me. I will not hurt you." She slowly began extending a hand toward the frightened boy, trying to show him that he was in no danger.

For a moment, his only response was to glare. However, by and by he began to search her face, her smell, her voice, and the strange feelings that stirred within him as he watched her. He did not know her; but he did. He had no memory of her, yet his heart seemed to disagree. This lady was . . . _safe_. Zidane did not know how he knew it, but he did. Tentatively, he reached out a small hand and grasped the proffered fingers.

Dagger smiled and gently led him out from behind the statue so he could see the others and they him. Bereft of his hiding spot, the little boy did his best to hide behind her whilst also trying not to look frightened or vulnerable. From what the surprised party to tell, Zidane appeared to be about three years old, and clearly thought there was still danger to be feared.

"So . . . how did that happen," Vivi asked. Lady Hilda pursed her lips as she thought.

"To be entirely honest, I do not know," she finally replied. "But rest assured, I _will_ figure this out." The lady of Lindblum did not comment on just how intriguing this whole affair was becoming, though the gleam in her eyes betrayed her excitement. Instead she offered a suggestion.

"But we tried Esuna on him before and it didn't work," Eiko pointed out a moment later.

"Perhaps not," said Hilda. "However, as we do not know what exactly the counter spell has done, it would be useful to see what happens when we try to reverse the effect."

Freya nodded, catching the Lady's drift. "You want to find out if his body now recognizes this state as natural or magical," she observed. "If natural, nothing will happen, just as before. If magical, he will return to his infant form."

Whilst everyone else deliberated and discussed the new situation, Dagger had been having quite the time trying to convince Zidane that he was perfectly safe and among friends. If she made any move to touch him, excepting the hand she was already holding, he would flinch away and bare his teeth for a moment.

Dagger closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her frustration. Her becoming irritable would not help the matter in the slightest. Opening her eyes again, she looked at Zidane, trying to find the way to get through to him. His bright blue gaze was wide with fear and confusion, as though he did not quite trust his own instincts.

How could this strange, tail-less creature be familiar to him? How could he know her when he had never seen her before? Why was he naked when he woke up?

As she watched his internal struggle, Dagger scoured her thoughts and memories of Zidane for something she could say or do to assure him. He knew her subconsciously; she needed to bring that out, to bring him back . . .

She brightened. Looking straight into the small boy's eyes, she gave him a gentle smile and began to hum.

At first, Zidane was surprised by the pleasant sounds. As he listened, the notes seemed to connect to something deep inside him. _Our song_ that something said and reached out with powerful emotions to grasp the sweet music, to feel it and hold it close.

Dagger was careful not to show her excitement, continuing to hum softly as she watched the little boy relax. His eyes shone with recognition, and even trust began to seep through. By now, Dagger was well into a second verse of the song and this time could not help a delighted nod as Zidane began to hum with her. Taking a few hesitant steps forward, he reached out his free hand to lightly touch her cheek.

As the two of them finished the song, Dagger opened her arms invitingly. Without another thought, the little boy gave in to himself and happily wrapped his own small arms around her neck, letting himself be held. As the young woman stood up with him now perched on her hip, blanket more securely tucked around him, his tail curled in a familiar motion around her waist, and Zidane contentedly laid his head on her shoulder. In his young mind, he no longer cared that he had no memory of her face. His heart knew her and that was all that mattered.

A/N: Sorry once again, Forgive my flakishness. This chapter is dedicated to my faithful readers, mostly Satsuki Fowl (who got on my case ^_^ thanks!) DemonWeasel and Royal Court Jester, who reminded me that people are still waiting on this and got my fire going.


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